Topic: Krishna Consciousness

The Vedas describe three forces, or modes, whose influence pervades the universe: goodness, passion, and ignorance. “Mode” is a translation of the Sanskrit word guna, which literally means “rope,” implying that goodness, passion, and ignorance are the ropes that bind us souls to the material world. These three modes, or qualities, underlie everything we see, hear, taste, touch, and smell....

Almost all religions pursue some sort of exchange with other religious sects. They may do it to further the aim of their own sect, to quell violence among fanatics, to cooperate in efforts for humane work, or for many other reasons. Perhaps the purest and most worthy purpose for persons of different religions to come together is to help one another in the individual attempt at attaining love of...

I'd like to look at few sentences from the Introduction to Srimad-Bhagavatam and why they are important to me. When I first ran across devotees, I was in my third year of graduate school in religious studies at Temple University. I was not in comparative religion or anything as down-to-earth as that. My field was theology and philosophy of religion. I was a snob.
On campus, I ran into devotees...

If everything was really haphazard and pointless, then asking “What is the purpose of life?” would itself be meaningless. But practical experience tells us there’s a reason for everything, even though sometimes it’s not obvious:
“Who left a mess in the kitchen?” (somebody did)
“I dunno.” (I don’t want to admit it was me)
To ask “why?” shows we’re willing to accept there is a purpose behind...

These are notes found in a handwritten diary kept by Srila Prabhupada, outlining of how he intended to present the teachings of Krishna consciousness to the Western world [bracketed material added for clarity]:
1. Krishna consciousness means clear consciousness.
2. Material existence means hazy consciousness.
3. Identifying the body as self is hazy consciousness.
4. One has to understand himself...

"Dasa" is not exactly a surname. . .it's more of a modifier. "Ekendra" is Sanskrit for the One (Eka-) Lord (-indra), and "dasa" is Sanskrit for "servant of." So at the time of initiation (similar to confirmation—a name giving ceremony) we all get a name of God with "dasa" at the end, lest we forget who we are (servants of God).

Lord Chaitanya convinced a group of religious scholars that beyond all speculation, three—and only three—principles emerge as the eternal truths of religion.
Five hundred years ago. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who Vedic scriptures tell us is Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, addressed a gathering of philosopher-scholars in the Indian city of Varanasi. This place, now called Benares, has...

According to The Nectar of Devotion, “A person who is unable to bear another’s distress is called compassionate.” Whereas generally people are too focused on their own interests to concern themselves with the distress of others, the devotee is focused on Krishna’s interests. Because Krishna desires that the conditioned souls be delivered, the devotee dedicates his life to fulfilling that desire....